Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation.Term: 2 yearsSalary: $113,591Vote for ONE.
County
Montgomery
Occupation
State Representative
Education
BS in Computer Science from MIT; MBA in Finance from Wharton School
Qualifications
Finance professional and long-time community member in Cheltenham. Former Cheltenham School Board member and Finance Officer. Served in the legislature since 2020.
Our district continues to suffer from high cost of housing and high tax burdens. Public investment is coming but more substantive action is required from our government. Our schools don't seem to be worth what we're paying for them and yet we can't afford to pay more and more each year. Zoom out a little further and this world is suffering from a spirit of hatred and division which is distracting us from a planet that is literally on fire. This is a very difficult and very important time to serve.
I fight this battle on all fronts. I am fixing the roads and bridges while investing in public education. I am advocating for sustainable climate policy while healing divided communities with love and understanding. I'm not done.
I have long advocated for early voting opportunities like our current mail-in voting process, utilization of our satellite election offices and more opportunities to cure mail-in ballots with easily fixable errors. As the Chair of the PA Legislative Black Caucus, we also led a state-wide tour to assess county policies for ballot access for eligible incarcerated voters.
I am also a prime author of a State Voting Rights Act being crafted as I write this. This new VRA will be a meaningful answer to the gutting of the Federal VRA since SCOTUS decided the Callais case. It will affirm the rights of voters to cast a ballot without having to suffer significant, unreasonable barriers or hurdles. Disenfrancisement cannot and need not be accepted.
My greatest concerns with the budget process is not the timeliness, but the tendency of our state budgets to work around the edges of the community's needs without truly and adequately addressing our needs. Perhaps the need is just too great or perhaps my desires are not feasible in a divided legislature, but I would gladly deliver a great budget 4 months late before I deliver a mediocre budget on time.
To that end, I would allow the State Treasurer to offer low-interest loans to local governments that rely on formula-driven budget funding during an impasse. Local governments and state employees shouldn't suffer the brunt of a political disagreement between a handful of partisan actors.
The easy question is the first one. The State should absolutely enact laws and regulations concerning the development and operation of data centers. The State Constitution already directs us to protect our state's environment and the Department of Environmental Protection has this as it's charge. Add in the Public Utility Commission and our role and responsibility in instituting guardrails for data center development is clear. I have been active in this already in the legislature.
The second question is a bit stickier. State regulations over data centers SHOULD interfere with municipal authority. Data centers are not just the concern of the municipalities that they are built in. They impact the region and the watershed.
County
Montgomery
Occupation
Event Planner
Education
Masters Degree from the University of Pennsylvania
Qualifications
Over 10 years state and local government experience.
The most pressing issue is the safety and security of our youth in schools. I would work with the Attorney Generals office and Department of Education to ensure that programs such as Safe2Say something is marketed and accessable to all schools.
I would support open primaries. We don't have a democracy unless all voters have a choice. Closed primaries prevent voters that don't identify with a party from having a voice at the table.
This is an intensive process lasts for months past when it is due. In order to have a balanced budget and support the many programs that are underfunded, we need to create new sources of revenue. The same legislators that have prevented new income streams from happening are all up for re-election. This should be a wake up call to all voters to support leaders that will help the state generate income so we can pass a fair budget on time.
The water-energy nexus along with land use all fall under Article 1, section 27 of Pennsylvania's constitution. Land and water are finite resources that should be protected at all costs. The state legislature has a responsibility to pause data center development, conduct studies to learn more about their impacts, and ultimately veto them if they become a threat to our natural resources.
